This invention relates to exercise apparatus, and in particular to resistance-type exercise apparatus for exercising a person's muscular system.
The benefits of exercising the human muscular system are widely known and accepted. Persons in all walks of life, of virtually all ages, of both sexes, of many conditions of health, of many degrees of athletic ability, of all degrees of physical fitness and for a variety of reasons engage in many exercises to maintain or improve their strength, flexibility, endurance, appearance and attitude. The widespread interest in exercise programs has led to the development of many types of exercise equipment. One type of equipment is weight lifting apparatus. Weight lifting apparatus includes barbells, dumbbells and similar dead weight systems. In order to facilitate the variety of exercises which can be performed, the so-called universal gyms have been developed. These systems are self-contained units having different exercise stations with variable weight loads at various stations for exercising different muscular groups. Despite the benefits of dead weight systems, they have been criticized because the load is fixed through the range of many exercises. Thus, a 100 pound weight exerts a load of 100 pounds at all times, which could place an undue load on particular muscle groups during parts of an exercise and an inadequate load at other parts of the exercise. In view of this criticism, various systems have been developed which vary the load of a particular weight during a particular exercise by means of cams, cables, pulley systems, linkages and the like.
The foregoing weight systems are widely used in gymnasiums, weight rooms and the like where the systems are set up as permanent installations for use by numerous persons. However, since these systems are heavy, bulky and often include a number of separate units, they are unsuitable where space limitations exist or where portability is a requirement. Thus, such systems are not used in homes, for example. However, various exercise systems have been developed for home use. One type of home exercise system is sometimes referred to as an exercise machine. These exercise machines usually include a bench with a column at one end from which extends a movable, adjustable arm. A variable load is connectable to the arm, and the user can stand in different positions or lie on the bench and perform different exercises. Sometimes a leg exercise device is also attached to the bench for performing leg curls and leg extensions. Such exercise machines are used in many homes, but they are too large to be moved about and cannot easily be put away for temporary storage when not in use.
The weight systems now in wide use are heavy, requiring associated support equipment such as benches and support racks to have commensurate strength and rigidity. As a consequence, numerous resistance-type exercise apparatus have been developed. There are numerous examples of exercise equipment incorporating springs, elastic bands and straps, and fluid devices for providing a resistance load. Some of the exercise apparatus discussed above, such as the exercise machines, use resistance loads rather than weight loads.
Despite the extensive effort which is being made to develop effective exercise equipment, there has heretofore not been developed a compact, portable exercise apparatus for performing a wide variety of exercises using a range of loads including heavy loads. There is nothing available for travelers to carry with them for following a full exercise program. Weight systems are clearly not portable. Exercise machines of the weight type and of the resistance type are much too big and heavy to be transported by the traveler. The few portable devices include various springs with handles, but these enable the performance of but a few exercises and then at very low loads. Similarly, there are no compact, light devices which can be used for a full exercise program and which can be put away easily when not in use. There is a great need for such devices for use in homes including apartments where space is limited, medical care institutions, hotel rooms, offices and the like.